Latest news with #BillCowsert
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sen. Brian Strickland enters race to succeed Georgia's AG Chris Carr
The Brief State Senators Brian Strickland and Bill Cowsert have entered the race to succeed Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who is running for governor in 2026. Strickland, a McDonough attorney, launched his campaign Tuesday, highlighting his record on conservative policies like the heartbeat bill and constitutional carry. Cowsert, a former Senate majority leader, announced his campaign in April, pledging to prioritize public safety and crack down on illegal immigration and crime. ATLANTA - The race to become Georgia's next attorney general is beginning to take shape, with two Republican lawmakers officially in the running to replace Attorney General Chris Carr. What we know Carr, who is not seeking reelection as he pursues a bid for governor in 2026, leaves an open seat that is drawing early interest. On Tuesday, State Sen. Brian Strickland launched his campaign during an event at Liberty Plaza in Atlanta. Strickland, a McDonough attorney who has served in the state Senate since 2018, highlighted his record on conservative policies, including support for the "heartbeat bill," constitutional carry, and mental health reform. Standing alongside his wife, Lindsey, he told reporters he would work to uphold Georgia's conservative values if elected. GEORGIA POLITICAL STORIES Strickland is expected to face Athens State Sen. Bill Cowsert in the Republican primary. Cowsert, a former Senate majority leader, chairs the Senate committee investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her prosecution of former President Donald Trump. He announced his candidacy in April, vowing to tackle crime and illegal immigration. PREVIOUS STORY: Georgia Attorney General race: Sen. Bill Cowsert announces campaign As of Tuesday afternoon, no Democratic candidates had formally entered the race.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New law breathes life into Georgia Senate panel probe of Fulton DA Willis, Stacey Abrams
On Aug. 14, 2023 Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis unveiled a grand jury's charges against former President Donald Trump and 18 others as part of a wide-ranging RICO case. Special prosecutor Nathan Wade stood to her left. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder A new Georgia law clarifies the power of legislative committees to issue subpoenas following a legal battle between Republican state senators and Democratic Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The signing of Senate Bill 255 by Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday enacted a law that defines the power of state legislative committees to compel witnesses to testify and provide evidence. Kemp issued an unusual signing statement warning state lawmakers to use the new law with discretion. The statement says that the law provides clear procedures for issuing subpoenas rather than creating new responsibilities for the General Assembly. Kemp urged lawmakers to proceed with caution when using the tool for investigations. 'The General Assembly has a well-earned reputation for putting the business of legislating—and the people of Georgia—first,' Kemp wrote. 'Americans of all political leanings have lamented the ineffectiveness of the United States Congress, in no small part due to the abundance of politically motivated 'investigations' which only generate sound bites and distract from important legislation.' Athens Sen. Bill Cowsert introduced the bill this year as a response to a prolonged legal battle as Willis refused to appear before a special committee he chairs investigating Willis for potential financial and ethical violations related to the Fulton County 2020 election interference investigation. Republican supporters of the new law claim that it does not expand current legislative powers, but rather explains how committees are able to legally exercise their subpoena powers. Democratic lawmakers opposed the bill, citing the possibility that investigative legislative committees would misuse their subpoena powers against perceived political opponents, such as elected officials and public advocacy groups. Under the new law, any dispute over the enforcement of the state lawmakers' subpoena would be resolved by a local superior court. The Senate Special Committee on Investigations case is at a standstill awaiting a final court order to determine whether Willis will be required to testify. The committee is also requesting that Willis turn over a trove of documents and other evidence as of their investigation. Willis came under fire last year when she admitted to a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she hired to lead the sweeping felony election interference case following former President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory over Republican Donald Trump. The Fulton district attorney was disqualified last year due to prosecutorial misconduct allegations involving her romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor who brought the case against Trump and 18 of his allies accused of illegally trying to overturn Georgia's election results. Cowsert's Senate Special Committee on Investigations is expected to expand its list of targets this year as it opens a probe into the relationship between Stacey Abrams and New Georgia Project following a Jan. 15 settlement in a 2019 case alleging illegal campaign contributions to Abrams' 2018 Democratic gubernatorial campaign. Cowsert, a lawyer, launched his campaign to become Georgia's next attorney general this spring by proclaiming his 'fearless commitment to law and order' which included leading investigations into allegations of unethical conduct by Willis and financial improprieties between Abrams-related groups. 'DA Fani Willis, NY AG Letitia James, and other partisan prosecutors have undermined public confidence in the fairness of our criminal justice system,' Cowsert said. 'Their abuse of power is a threat to the rule of law, and it's time to put an end to the weaponization of our justice system.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill Cowsert to enter 2026 race for Georgia attorney general
Georgia state Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens announced Wednesday that he would run for state attorney general, becoming the second Republican to join the race. Current Republican Attorney General Chris Carr is running for governor in 2026, meaning the seat will be open. State Sen. Brian Strickland of McDonough has also filed papers to run. No Democrats have yet announced they will seek the office. Cowsert has served in the Senate since 2007 and now represents parts of Athens-Clarke, Oconee, Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett counties. The brother-in-law of Gov. Brian Kemp, he served four years as Senate majority leader from 2014 to 2018. TRENDING STORIES: 'Whites only,' 'colored only' signs posted in Rockdale elementary school Atlanta police investigating 'swatting call' at home owned by TV attorney Nancy Grace Caregiver accused of buying Shein outfits, paying bills with Alzheimer's patient's credit card He took a tough partisan line in his announcement. While attorney general has traditionally been an office that represented the state in lawsuits, the office has acquired increasing criminal prosecution powers in recent years, and Cowsert pledged to fight gangs and human trafficking if elected. 'I envision a Georgia where our families are safe, and illegal immigrants, sex traffickers, violent gangs and fentanyl pushers are too afraid to cross the state line,' Cowsert said in a statement. He also touted his leadership of a state Senate committee that has been seeking to force Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to testify about whether she did anything wrong in her investigation and prosecution of President Donald Trump and others. That committee's efforts thus far have disclosed little that wasn't already known about Willis and her hiring of special prosecutor Nathan Wade, with whom she had a romantic relationship, to lead the prosecution against Trump and others. At least nine of Georgia's 56 state senators are considering a run for higher office in 2026.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican state Sen. Bill Cowsert enters race to become Georgia's next attorney general
Sen. Bill Cowsert, an Athens Republican, has launched a campaign for attorney general. He's the second GOP candidate to enter the race, joining McDonough Republican Sen. Brian Strickland. No Democrats announced a bid for the seat yet. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Long-time Athens GOP state Sen. Bill Cowsert has jumped into the race for Georgia's next attorney general. The seat is being vacated by sitting Republican Attorney General Chris Carr, who launched his campaign for governor late last year. Carr has been the state's top law enforcement official for nearly a decade. Cowsert, who was first elected to the Senate in 2006, touted his work on a special investigative committee focused on Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, whose office indicted President Donald Trump and 18 others in the 2020 election interference case. Willis was disqualified last year by the Georgia's Court of Appeals for misconduct because of a relationship she had with the special prosecutor in the case, and that case has largely stalled. Willis has appealed the ruling. A controversial bill sponsored by Cowsert this year expands that committee's scope to also examine groups affiliated with Stacey Abrams after the New Georgia Project, a left-leaning voter engagement organization she founded, settled long-running ethics allegations in January. If elected, Cowsert said he would work to make sure 'illegal immigrants, sex traffickers, violent gangs and fentanyl pushers are too afraid to cross the state line.' He also took a swipe at his hometown. 'Let me be clear. I will use every power allowed by law to slam the door shut on sanctuary cities like my hometown of Athens,' he said. 'Our Georgia will no longer tolerate the musings of extremist liberals more concerned with hurting the feelings of Venezuelan gang members in our country illegally than they are with keeping young women from being brutally murdered and raped. Her name was Laken Riley. We will say her name, and we will not allow this to happen again in Georgia.' Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student who was killed in February 2024 while jogging at the University of Georgia. A Venezuelan immigrant authorities say crossed into the U.S. illegally, Jose Ibarra, was sentenced to life in prison last year. Riley's murder became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration. Cowsert, who grew up in Macon, is the founding partner of Cowsert Heath LLP in Athens, a 'small town' law firm that handles cases from northeast Georgia down to Macon, according to its website. He also chairs the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee. Cowsert will face fellow Sen. Brian Strickland in the GOP primary for the seat. Strickland, a McDonough Republican and attorney who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, became the first candidate for attorney general when he filed his paperwork early this month just before lawmakers wrapped up the 2025 legislative session. No Democrats have announced a bid for the office yet. Qualifying for the 2026 election is still a year away, but the prospect of open seats in a competitive state has prompted many candidates to get a jumpstart on the campaign trail. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Associated Press
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Bill Cowsert becomes second Republican to enter 2026 race for Georgia attorney general
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia state Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens announced Wednesday that he would run for state attorney general, becoming the second Republican to join the race. Current Republican Attorney General Chris Carr is running for governor in 2026, meaning the seat will be open. State Sen. Brian Strickland of McDonough has also filed papers to run. No Democrats have yet announced they will seek the office. Cowsert has served in the Senate since 2007 and now represents parts of Athens-Clarke, Oconee, Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett counties. The brother-in-law of Gov. Brian Kemp, he served four years as Senate majority leader from 2014 to 2018. He took a tough partisan line in his announcement. While attorney general has traditionally been an office that represented the state in lawsuits, the office has acquired increasing criminal prosecution powers in recent years, and Cowsert pledged to fight gangs and human trafficking if elected. 'I envision a Georgia where our families are safe, and illegal immigrants, sex traffickers, violent gangs and fentanyl pushers are too afraid to cross the state line,' Cowsert said in a statement. He also touted his leadership of a state Senate committee that has been seeking to force Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to testify about whether she did anything wrong in her investigation and prosecution of President Donald Trump and others. That committee's efforts thus far have disclosed little that wasn't already known about Willis and her hiring of special prosecutor Nathan Wade, with whom she had a romantic relationship, to lead the prosecution against Trump and others. At least nine of Georgia's 56 state senators are considering a run for higher office in 2026.
